I’ve got a bad reputation.

❌People don’t trust me
❌People question my motives
❌People tense up when I enter a room
❌People pause their conversations when I am around

It’s got nothing to do with who I am though, and everything to do with the ‘HR’ in my job title.

What do you think of when you hear HR? Most answers aren’t flattering. Very few reflect the hard work that most HR professionals contribute.

✏️You may see me taking notes while your manager issues you a warning, but you do not see the hour I spent coaching them on how to do it in a lawful, respectful and considered way.

✉️You may see my name on another annoying email reminding you to complete the engagement survey, but you will not see the hours of work I put in following that survey to champion change directly from your feedback.

🔔 You may see me sitting across from you as you are told your role has been disestablished, but you do not see the previous 4 versions of the structure I influenced to change to ensure there were redeployment opportunities for you.

✂️You may see me associating with that manager you can’t stand, but you don’t hear me calling out and giving feedback on their shitty behaviour.

📈You may see me in the boardroom at senior leadership meetings, but you don’t hear me advocating for you or asking “how will this impact our people?”.

🍎You may not think of me when you celebrate the announcement of that great new employee benefit, but you do not see the hours I put into constructing the business case to get budget for that initiative.

HR is often a relentless and thankless job, but I still love it and I am so passionate about elevating HR’s reputation and destigmatising what we do. HR practices can make or break a business.